From Old Northern to new brewpub

March 31, 2014

Jim LaValley, real estate broker and chairman of Adirondack Residents Intent on Saving Their Economy, told the Tupper Lake village-town planning board Thursday that he'd like to renovate the building and open a brewery and pub at 12 Cliff Ave.

Big Tupper Brewing would handle the brewing part of the operation, and LaValley said he's in contact with some people interested in running the restaurant and pub.

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The former Old Northern Pub on Cliff Avenue in Tupper Lake may soon be renovated and reopened as a brewpub.(Enterprise photo — Shaun Kittle)

LaValley said work will begin inside the building almost immediately.

"Big Tupper LLC is prepared to take title of the property under the name Time for Tupper LLC," LaValley said. "We're scheduled to take the title in early April. Right now our first focus is to get the place cleaned out. There is a tremendous amount of trash in the basement, and it's a public health concern. We want to address that right away."

Outside work will include adding windows to the south face of the building, changing the roof line and an outdoor eating and gathering area. Parking for the brew pub would be behind the library, about a block away.

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The outside area would be in the parking lot that's next to the neighboring Community Bank parking lot. The bank owns about half the lot, and LaValley said the boundary would be "gated off in an attractive way."

Before work can begin on the outside of the building, artist renderings have to be presented to the planning board.

LaValley told the board Big Tupper Brewing just received approval of their first label for a beer called IPA "eh." LaValley said the slogan for that beer is, "Say it like a Frenchman. Drink it like an Adirondacker." The recipe for the beer belongs to Big Tupper Brewing, but the beer is currently brewed by Adirondack Brewing in Lake George. It is expected to be on the shelves by Memorial Day.

The beer will be brewed in Tupper Lake once the facilities are available.

"This becomes an important piece to tying in the business district with the library, post office and then the park," LaValley said.

LaValley said the artist renderings should be complete within the next two months, at which time a public hearing will be scheduled.

"The end goal right now is to have a brew pub that will have a pub area, a dining area, and then some brewing facilities within that building," LaValley said. "There certainly is enough room for all three. When that brewery will be up and running, I would love to say by the end of the year, but it might take a little longer."